This invention relates generally to heating of spaces in the interior of engine-driven vehicles and more particularly to a system for such heating in which a heat pipe is used to utilize the heat in the exhaust gas of the engine.
While the heating system of this invention is applicable principally to the heating of the interiors of motor vehicles or automobiles, it is not necessarily so limited, being applicable to other engine-driven vehicles such as small to medium size sea craft such as ferry boats, fishing boats, and recreational sea craft and certain aircraft.
Among such heating systems known heretofore which are adapted to heat interior spaces of vehicles by utilizing the heat in the engine exhaust gas of the vehicles, there is a system in which the heat absorption part of the heat pipe is installed within the exhaust pipe of the engine, and the heat discharge part of the heat pipe is installed within a heating air duct for conducting heating air to the space to be heated, the heat of the exhaust gas being transmitted to the heating air in the air duct by way of the heat pipe (as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication (Kokai) No. 24617/1977).
In a known heating system of this character, however, since a control means is not provided, control of the degree of space heating and ON-OFF control cannot be carried out.